Systems for aggregating and processing of biogas to biomethane

ABSTRACT

A biogas collection and purification system that includes a plurality of sources of biogas and a network of conduits configured to convey the biogas from the sources to a central processing facility for processing the biogas into methane. The central processing facility removes impurities to convert biogas to biomethane and may include an H2S removal stage; an activated carbon scrubber; a gas drier; and a carbon dioxide removal stage. The facility also has a biomethane gas compressor configured to deliver the biomethane for use in power plants, for CNG production. Ancillaries to the system include fuel cells for direct electricity generation from biogas/biomethane.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure claims priority to and is a non-provisional conversion of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/802,502, filed Feb. 7, 2019, all of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technology relates to the field of biogas conversion to biomethane for energy generation, and more particularly relates to the collection of biogas from a plurality of sources generating biogas from decomposition of organic waste, at a range of geographic locations, and routing the collected biogas to location(s) for processing into biomethane and/or generation of electricity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Electricity is a necessary power source in a modern technology-based economy, and also in those economies that are developing into modern economies, which have exhibited a great demand for more electric power as standards of living improve. Initially, the basic source for electricity generation was combustion of coal (carbon), or oil (hydrocarbons), both of which are often called “fossil fuels.” Both coal and hydrocarbon oils generate carbon dioxide as a combustion byproduct, and carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to the phenomenon of global warming, or climate change.

Electricity has also been generated as hydro-electric power by turbines driven by flow of water, typically at dams when water is released through sluice gates to drive the turbines. More recently, there has been an upsurge in generation of electricity using solar power as the cost of solar cell panels have begun to decline thereby reducing the cost per KW-hr of electricity generated. In addition, the use of wind power turbines, especially in Texas and California, has caused electricity from wind power to become a significant part of the supply to the power grid. Solar and Wind both suffer the disadvantage of being intermittent (not schedulable) sources of electricity.

There also continues to be growing interest in both small as well as large scale generation of biogas (typically 60% methane) that can be purified into a “renewable natural gas” or RNG, a more purified combustible gas (generally at least 95% pure methane) from waste. Ordinarily, this biogas is a natural product of the decomposition of organic waste material, most often though an anaerobic process, and is released into the atmosphere. In the atmosphere, it is believed that biogas, especially the methane component, is a “greenhouse gas” that contributes to the phenomenon of global warming, or climate change. On the other hand, if the biogas could be captured and treated to generate electricity or processed into RNG, this methane gas could be used to generate power in methane-burning power plants or fuel compressed natural gas vehicles with the previously vented methane being destroyed in the process thus eliminating its greenhouse gas effect. Moreover, the substitution of bio-derived gas for transportation fuels, such as compressed natural gas (“CNG”) presents a further opportunity to back out fossil fuel combustion and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Methane has a lower carbon to hydrogen ratio than coal or hydrocarbon oils. Thus, methane produces less carbon dioxide upon combustion. As a result the net effect of this capture of methane, and subsequent combustion to produce electricity, is to “back out” other fuel sources that would have been combusted in the power plants, such as coal or hydrocarbon oils. This is highly beneficial since the combustion of methane produces less carbon dioxide per KW-hr of electricity or less carbon dioxide per brake horsepower-hour of a vehicle engine, than the combustion of other hydrocarbon fuels because of its lower carbon to hydrogen ratio. Thus, the removal of the biogas preventing release into the atmosphere, and the combustion of methane from the biogas provides energy has a two-fold benefit in reducing greenhouse gas emissions: reduction of biogas into the atmosphere, and less combustion of carbon dioxide emissions in electricity generation by “backing out” coal or other hydrocarbons that have a higher carbon to hydrogen ratio. Moreover, organic waste generation and decomposition to produce biogas are continuously ongoing processes, so that biogas is, in that sense, a potentially continuously “renewable” energy supply.

SUMMARY

The technology presented herein provides access to remote biogas sources (“digesters”) that are geographically widely distributed, predicts (based on instrumentation) the availability and quality of biogas from these remote sources typically 24 hours in advance, conditions and prepares the biogas to safely aggregate the biogas via a network of conduits and conveys the biogas to biogas consuming devises (“generators”) and/or to a single treatment facility where it is converted to RNG or biomethane and controlledly compressed into a natural gas pipeline for subsequent use as combustion fuel, compression to CNG or LNG (liquified natural gas) for vehicle fuel use, or use in fuel cells to create electricity directly. Electricity generated at the treatment facility, or at the remote biogas sources, can be used directly or indirectly (via a contract rather than physical delivery of electrons) to provide a renewable source of electrical energy for plug-in battery-powered powered electric vehicles (PEVs), thereby providing the desirable goal of converting biogas to clean transportation energy.

In an exemplary embodiment there is provided a biogas production, conditioning, collection, electrical generation, purification and delivery system. The system aggregates biogas from a plurality of remote sources and treats the biogas to produce electricity and/or biomethane. The system comprises: a network of conduits configured to convey biogas from the plurality of remote sources of the biogas based on a monitored or automatically detected availability and quality of biogas at each respective remote source. A biogas compressor at each of the remote locations is controlled by a central controller that utilizes data that includes biogas availability and quality data. The central controller is configured to instruct the remote biogas compressor(s) to supply compressed biogas to several potential processes, as well as to a central biogas processing facility, depending upon input data. Thus, the biogas may be compressed to a fuel cell or to an internal combustion engine powered generator for direct conversion of the biogas to electricity to power at least some of the equipment at the remote source or at the centralized facility, or the electricity can be transmitted to a charging station for PEVs to charge vehicle batteries. Compressed biogas can also be supplied to a biogas header that conveys the biogas to the central processing facility. Here, the received biogas from many remote sources in the network of linked-together plurality of remote sources is treated and processed from biogas into biomethane and/or also converted to electricity pre (as biogas fuel) or post upgrading (as biomethane fuel). The central processing facility has an input compressor that is controlled by the central controller that operates based on data including the data from the remote sources about the availability of biogas at the sources. The central treatment facility includes several biogas treatment operations, including but not limited to a biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage; an activated carbon scrubber (which may be downstream from the hydrogen sulfide removal stage); a carbon dioxide removal stage (which may be) downstream from the hydrogen sulfide removal stage for purifying the biogas into biomethane by removal of carbon dioxide. And the central processing facility also has a biomethane gas compressor for compressing the produced biomethane, also under control of the central controller. Thus, the biomethane may be charged to a generator such as a fuel cell for direct conversion of the biomethane to electricity to power at least some of the equipment at the treatment facility, or the electricity and/or its environmental attributes can be transmitted (e.g. directly or virtually via a contract) to a charging station for PEVs to charge vehicle batteries. The biomethane can also be charged to a system for compression to renewable compressed natural gas (R-CNG) for use as a vehicle fuel. Or, the biomethane can be compressed to a natural gas pipeline, as explained in more detail here below. The decision (and control) of the biomethane disposition to the natural gas pipeline or to CNG or to fuel cells to create electricity for PEVs is based on several control variables including biogas availability, projected biogas availability, quality, quantity, moisture content, presence or absence of contaminants, hydrogen sulfide levels, oxygen levels, nitrogen levels, historical production rates, projected generator or upgrading plant demand rates, upcoming system maintenance inputs, digester status, digester feedstock availably, ambient temperature and digester efficiency factors, current biogas storage levels and remaining biogas storage levels.

The sources of biogas may include organic animal waste anaerobic digesters, such as for example dairy farm animal waste, and/or captured biogas from waste water treatment plant digesters, special purpose organic waste or mixed substrate digesters, landfills and or combinations of these sources.

The plurality of sources of biogas of the exemplary embodiment may include biogas sources located remote from each other, and the network of conduits enable fluid communication between the remote sources and a central biogas header that is the portion of the network carrying biogas to be received at the central processing facility.

A consideration to bear in mind is that to safely and efficiently convey biogas in a conduit it is (likely) necessary to “condition” the biogas to remove most of its hydrogen sulfide and water prior and in some cases its carbon dioxide prior to its insertion into the gathering/collection line. This conditioning of the biogas will occur at or close to the digester source and prior to compression into the gathering or collection line. If the biogas is utilized by an internal combustion engine or fuel cell generator directly from the gathering line it may need further polishing to remove all traces of contaminants such as hydrogen sulfide or siloxanes.

The biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage of the central processing facility of the exemplary embodiment may include a sodium hydroxide gas scrubber or an iron sponge column.

At least some of the sources of biogas of the exemplary embodiment may include a gas quality sensor (measuring and logging for example the percent of methane, oxygen, carbon dioxide, moisture, hydrogen sulfide) and a gas quantity flow meter. The quantity and quality of the energy exported form each digester feeds the control system and also the accounting system for allocation of payments back to the owner or landlord hosting the digester. A hydrogen sulfide sensor located to confirm quality is acceptable and/or to detect release of hydrogen sulfide into a surrounding vicinity of the at least some of the sources and activate a central controller to shut a valve to cut off flow of biogas, as necessary, to eliminate or minimize leakage upon detection of hydrogen sulfide gas. It is also important to detect hydrogen sulfide for other reasons: hydrogen sulfide poisons upgrader membranes or pressure swing absorbents, poisons fuel cells, and damages internal combustion engines. So, the sensor should supply input to the control system to confirm acceptable quality. [Currently in California the collection line, by permit and safety considerations, cannot have >10 ppm H2S (sometimes up to 100 ppm H2S is OK, typical biogas is 2000-5000 ppm H2S.

The remote sources of biogas may each include a flow sensor configured to detect a flow of biogas from the source. The flow sensor data is transmitted to a central controller that controls a valve, such as a three-way valve, to recycle a portion of the flow back to the respective source of biogas. The remote sources (digesters) may include a gas chromtograph or other form of gas analyzer supplying data to the control system to ensure the quality of the biogas is acceptable for delivery to the collection system and delivery ads a fed gas to the generators and/or to the upgrading plant(s). The remote source may include a flow meter also providing data to the control system to measure the flow quantity of gas for control purposes and also for accounting of the digester production of energy and its quality into the system.)

At least one of the plurality of biogas sources of the exemplary embodiment may include a flexible roof over the waste digester. The flexible roof expands upward when an amount of generated biogas in the digester increases and biogas pressure increases under the flexible roof. The biogas source may have an automatic detection device that provides data about the amount of biogas available from the digester, such as but not limited to, a laser deflection measurement apparatus. The apparatus may be positioned and configured to measure a degree of deflection of the flexible roof as it moves under biogas pressure. The measured laser deflection data is transmitted to the central controller that controls a compressor that draws biogas from the digester of the respective biogas source based on the data that includes data about biogas availability. Alternatively, or in addition, biogas availability can also be estimated by periodic human inspection. These inspections could be weekly, daily or several times per day depending on the production rate and remaining storage capacity of the digester. Thus, from observation, if the roof is “highly deflected upward,” more biogas is available. Conversely, when the roof deflection is lower and/or declining, less biogas is available.

The foregoing presents a brief and non-comprehensive summary of some aspects of the technology that is further explained in more detail, here below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the present technology will be more readily appreciated by reference to the following Detailed Description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying simplified drawings of exemplary embodiments. The drawings, briefly described here below, are not to scale, are presented for ease of explanation and do not limit the scope of the inventions recited in the accompanying patent claims.

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic overview illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the system for aggregating and processing of biogas to electrical generation and/or to methane, according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the processing system converting biogas to methane, according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic illustration of an exemplary biogas source that may be a part of the system for aggregating and processing of biogas to methane, according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative simplified process flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a biogas processing facility at a remote source.

FIG. 5 is an illustrative simplified process flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a central facility processing biogas from a plurality of biogas remote sources to biomethane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following non-limiting detailed descriptions of examples of embodiments of the invention may refer to appended Figure drawings and are not limited to the drawings, which are merely presented for enhancing explanations of features of the technology. In addition, the detailed descriptions may refer to particular terms of art, some of which are defined herein, as appropriate and necessary for clarity.

In the specification and claims, the term “remote,” as it pertains to the geographic location of biogas sources that are linked by the network of conduits to a portion of the network (a common biogas header pipe) that conveys and feeds biogas to the central treatment/processing facility, means that the biogas sources are geographically distant from each other (i.e. not located on the same farm, or waste disposal site, for example). Absent the network of conduits, the biogas supply from these sources would have been processed separately at each of the biogas sources, if at all.

A “biogas source,” as the term is used in the specification and claims, means a source of biogas such as, but not limited to, an organic waste digester that digests animal waste (e.g. manure from a dairy or a waste disposal site) or a landfill, for example, and may include several digesters/landfills at the same geographic location that are linked together and may be counted as a single remote biogas source.

A remote location may include a biogas conditioning plant that not only removes hydrogen sulfide and water but also removes carbon dioxide thus reducing the quantity of gas that is needed to be collected and transported to the generators and/or to the centralized upgrading plant. This could be a membrane-based biogas conditioning package that selectively separates methane form H20, H2S and CO2. In an exemplary embodiment, the centralized upgrading plant could receive biomethane (as opposed to biogas) and thus its primary purpose would be, under control of the central processor to accept this feed gas, remove any residual contaminants in order to meet pertinent applicable utility specifications, and then compressing and injecting the purified biomethane into the pipeline.

A networked collection system may also include a portion of the system where the biogas or biomethane is conveyed from the remote source location to the centralized location, or generators, via tank cars. The transported biogas may be off loaded at the centralized treatment plant for purification, quality control and delivery into the pipeline. The control and reporting of this “virtual” pipeline would also provide data to the central controller so that the entire system is coordinated and controlled.

In general, the processing of biogas to biomethane at each location where biogas is produced means that equipment and labor has to be expended at each location. Often, this is not economically feasible. According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, biogas from a geographically widely spread out plurality of biogas sources can be accumulated in a network of conduits (pipelines), often linked into a common header pipe, and carried in these conduits to a central gas treatment/processing facility. In addition, in order to deliver the produced biomethane (RNG) it is necessary to bring it to a centralized location where the local gas utility is ready willing and able to receive the gas into their natural gas distribution or transmission system for delivery downstream to customers. This minimizes the outlay of capital in equipment but increases the cost of the conduits. However, advantageously, these conduits may be of inexpensive polymer materials that are impervious to attack by chemicals found in biogas, such as water and hydrogen sulfide, which has a highly offensive odor (“rotten egg stench”) and is readily detected. However, the collection, or aggregation, of the biogas from far-ranging farms, landfills and other sources and processing of the aggregated volume of biogas to biomethane presents several challenges that must be met to produce methane that is of a purity acceptable for combustion in power plants, and for use in producing CNG, while maintaining standards of safety.

In addition to the challenges of biogas aggregation, transport and processing, there is also the issue of distribution of the produced biomethane into natural gas pipelines. In general, pipelines have a system of requiring a gas supplier to contract in advance (by about 24 hours) the volume of approved quality methane it will be able to supply to the pipeline. Failure to meet the contracted supply results in penalties. Accordingly, there must be an accurate determination made in advance (about (or typically??) 24 to 36 hours in advance) of the amount of biogas that will be available to convert to biomethane for charging to a natural gas pipeline, and the remote sources that will supply this biogas. In addition, the biogas supply to the central treatment facility must be controlled. This presents significant challenges. While natural gas produced from a geological formation has relatively predictable rates of production or can be turned off an don as needed as it is stored in an existing geological formation, in a biogas supply system, the volume production of biogas is dependent upon many factors, including weather, ambient temperature, conditions at the waste digesters, remaining storage capacity, and the like that are not readily and accurately predictable. In addition, biogas may be routed at the remote source to a generator or fuel cell for direct conversion to electricity into the grid and/or to a PEV charging station, or to operate equipment at the remote source. Accordingly, the central controller should take into account the amount of biogas available at the remote sources (whether from manual data input or from automated measurements), and the potential alternative disposition of the biogas and address the challenge of being able to predict at least 24-36 hours in advance the availability of biogas to be charged to the treatment facility that will produce a predictable supply of biomethane.

The present technology uses data collected at each of the remote sources of the system that are able to supply biogas to assess biogas availability at each source at least about 24-36 hours in advance and uses this data to be able to commit to inject biomethane from this available biogas supply into the natural gas pipeline. The collected data is collected automatically or manually estimated at each remote source and input to the central controller.

As explained in more detail here below, in some examples the waste digesters have expandable roofs that deflect upward as gas accumulates under the roof. The deflection may be measured, by laser, for example, and the gas volume available can be estimated from the deflection. This provides a means for estimation of the total volume of biogas that could be continuously processed to biomethane and injected into a pipeline. Of course, other methods than roof deflection measurements may also be used. For example, human observation, or measurement of biogas pressure under the roof.

Several exemplary embodiments of systems that treat biogas to produce biomethane for natural gas pipeline injection (or other disposition as described herein) are set forth here below. As already pointed out here above, some of the biogas can be directly converted to electricity in fuel cells. And, as pointed out above, some of the biomethane may be used to make CNG. However, for the sake of simplicity, the explanations may focus mainly on biomethane for natural gas pipeline injection. There are some common technologies among the provided examples, and some variations between them as to apparatus. Nonetheless, each has in common the detection of the volume of biogas available at the remote sources either in real time or periodically. In addition, the connecting network of conduits has a biogas “hold up” volume that is also available to be processed as part of the biomethane that is contracted to be delivered. The technology presented herein provides access to remote biogas sources that are geographically widely distributed, predicts (based on instrumentation and/or human data input) the availability of biogas from these remote sources at least 24-36 hours in advance, safely aggregates the biogas via a network of conduits, and conveys the biogas to a single conversion facility to produce biomethane where it is converted to biomethane and controlledly compressed into a natural gas pipeline and/or supplied to a CNG facility, and/or used in a fuel cell to directly make electricity.

In summary, in an exemplary embodiment there is provided a biogas collection, purification and biomethane delivery system. The system aggregates biogas from a plurality of remote sources, deducts remote uses such as for generation or other biogas take-off, adds virtual deliveries and treats the biogas to produce biomethane. The system comprises: a network of conduits configured to convey biogas from the plurality of remote sources of the biogas based on a monitored or automatically detected availability of biogas at each respective remote source. A biogas compressor at each of the remote locations is controlled by a central controller that utilizes data that includes biogas availability data. The central controller is configured to instruct the biogas compressor to supply compressed biogas to several potential processes, as well as to a central biogas processing facility, depending upon input data. Thus, the biogas may be compressed to a fuel cell for direct conversion of the biogas to electricity to power at least some of the equipment at the remote source, or the electricity can be transmitted to a charging station for PEVs to charge vehicle batteries. Compressed biogas can also be supplied to a biogas header that conveys the biogas to the central processing facility. Here, the received biogas from many remote sources in the network of linked-together plurality of remote sources is treated and processed from biogas into biomethane. The central processing facility has an input compressor that is controlled by the central controller that operates based on data including the data from the remote sources about the availability of biogas at the sources. The central treatment facility includes several biogas treatment operations, including but not limited to a biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage; an activated carbon scrubber (which may be downstream from the hydrogen sulfide removal stage); a carbon dioxide removal stage (which may be) downstream from the hydrogen sulfide removal stage for purifying the biogas into biomethane by removal of carbon dioxide. And the central processing facility also has a biomethane gas compressor for compressing the produced biomethane, also under control of the central controller. If the biogas to biomethane upgrading is handled at some or each remote location then the central treatment plant still remains as the control hub and RNG product quality station to ensure the RNG meets the utility gas specifications (e.g. Rule 30 for Sempra and Rule 21 for PG&E) Thus, the biomethane may be charged to a fuel cell for direct conversion of the biomethane to electricity to power at least some of the equipment at the treatment facility, or the electricity can be transmitted to a charging station for PEVs to charge vehicle batteries. The biomethane can also be charged to a system for compression to CNG. Or, the biomethane can be compressed to a natural gas pipeline, as explained in more detail here below. The decision (and control) of the biomethane disposition to the natural gas pipeline or to CNG or to fuel cells to create electricity for PEVs is based on several control variables including biogas availability, projected biogas availability and (use same language as previously)

In general, in a simplified explanation of an exemplary embodiment, the central processing facility has several processing units. The processing units may be skid-mounted. Among the processing units are a hydrogen sulfide removal stage, which may include, but is not limited to, a sodium hydroxide scrubber or iron sponge columns. Further, an activated carbon scrubber is deployed downstream from the hydrogen sulfide removal stage to remove further residual amounts of hydrogen sulfide and other contaminants susceptible to activated carbon removal. To remove water vapor, a drier may be located downstream from the activated carbon scrubber. At this stage, the biogas still has significant amounts of carbon dioxide. Thus, a carbon dioxide removal stage, which may include, but is not limited to, a membrane separator that separates out the biomethane from the carbon dioxide, which may be vented. There may be a gas chiller downstream from the carbon dioxide removal stage to chill the biomethane which is at this point high purity combustible methane. A system compressor is configured to compress the biomethane at a controlled rate of compression that is based on data that may include data received from the instruments measuring biogas accumulation at biogas remote sources in the network, but that is also based on the amount of gas being metered into the pipeline. The gas hold-up in the conduit network of the system may also be used as part of the control data for the compressor.

FIG. 1 is a simplified flow diagram depicting an overview of process flows of an example of a system for aggregating and processing of biogas to methane, according to the invention. The illustrated system 100 includes a plurality of remote biogas sources 10, 12. 14, 16, 18, and 20. The remote biogas source 20 includes, in the example three digesters (but more or fewer are envisaged) are illustrated, as biogas sources 22, 24, and 26 that not remote from each other (i.e. they might be on the same farm if these are animal waste digesters) but that are remote as a group from the other illustrated biogas sources 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18. Thus, remote biogas source 20 that includes biogas sources 22, 24 and 26 is a remote biogas source, as that term is used herein. The remote biogas sources each deliver biogas into a network of gas aggregation conduits. In this example, for instance, remote biogas source 10 delivers to conduit 11, remote biogas source 12 delivers to conduit 13, remote biogas source 14 delivers to conduit 15, remote biogas source 16 delivers to conduit 17, remote biogas source 18 delivers to conduit 18, and remote biogas source 20 delivers to conduit 21. Each of these conduits in turn feed biogas to a conduit 30 that ultimately connects to a main feeder conduit (“header”) 32, which is a portion of the network of conduits, and that delivers the accumulated biogas to the central processing facility 40. Processed gas (methane of combustible purity) that exits the central processing facility 40 in conduit 34, is compressed in a system compressor 36 either into a pipeline 33 for delivery to a power plant 37 for combustion, or to storage 35, and/or to tank cars 39 to deliver. The biomethane may also be routed to processing to CNG 42. Moreover, the biomethane may also be charged to a fuel cell 44 for direct conversion to electricity.

The remote biogas sources may not be of uniform size and are generally not producing biogas at the same rates. Accordingly, with biogas availability being variable within the system, controls are needed so that the system can operate continuously with reasonable predictability of biomethane supply capability, as far as possible based on the availability and expected availability of biogas from the sources. Of course, even if all biogas supply from the biogas sources were shut in, there is still an amount of biogas held up in the volume of the conduits, and in the volumes within the central processing facility that could be available to process biomethane. Depending upon the rate of compression of gas, this gas hold-up in the system represents a “time-lag” within the system that a controller can take into account.

In the exemplary, simplified overview illustration of FIG. 1 , the controller 70 receives data from each of the remote biogas sources relating to biogas available to enter the network of conduits. Of course, in some systems not all biogas sources will have such capability, and at least some may lack the measuring instruments to detect and transmit data about biogas availability. In the illustrated example, the central controller 70 receives input data about biogas availability from detector/transmitters 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, and 78 (or from human input based on observations at these remote sources). The central controller 70 is configured to process this data to control the rate of gas compression at a biogas compressor at each remote source (not shown in FIG. 1 ; shown in FIG. 2 as compressor 220 at each exemplary remote source), and control the biogas feed compressor (not shown in FIG. 1 , but shown in FIG. 3 as compressor 45) at the treatment facility 40, as well as the biomethane gas compressor 36. By suitably controlling the rates of compression taking into account the volume of predicted available gas at each source, a predictable and relatively steady rate of gas delivery can be achieved from the system to the natural gas pipeline. Of course, if a portion of available biogas is being routed to a fuel cell at a remote source, the central controller has to take into account that this biogas is not available to the central biogas treatment facility.

Biomethane gas to the natural gas pipeline upgrader must be at acceptable purity and quality (H2S, O2, inerts, water, etc.). The utility operator requires delivery into its point of interconnect (POI) at a flow rate between the minimum and the maximum rates as described in an interconnection agreement so that thee revenue metering equipment can remain within calibration. This min/max flow must be uniform and must be communicated to the utility prior to delivery including a duration of flow.

FIG. 2 is another schematic simplified overview flow diagram, not to scale, of an example of a remote biogas source 200 that includes a digester 210 that produces biogas, and that has a flexible expandable roof 212, sealed in an airtight seal to the digester. Thus, produced biogas 214 accumulates under the roof gradually causing the roof 212 to expand upward from a first flat shape (shown in dark line), to an expanded state billowed out upwards by biogas, as shown in dashed lines. An instrument, such as, but not limited to, a laser deflector measuring device 215 can be used to detect the degree of deflection of the roof 212 and transmit this data to the central controller 70 (see also FIG. 1 ). Based on this transmitted data, the central controller 70 can control a rate of the local biogas compressor 220. The local compressor 220 compresses biogas into the network conduit 30, as in FIG. 1 , via a connecting conduit 222. Network conduit 30 conveys the biogas to the conduit 32 that feeds biogas to the central processing facility 40. As explained with regard to FIG. 1 , processed gas (biomethane) from the central processing facility 40 is charged to the system processed gas compressor 36, and thence to pipeline 33, under control of central controller 70.

In an exemplary embodiment, the flow rate from the local biogas compressor 220 is measured by flow detector 224, which controls a control valve 226. This allows the recycling of a proportion of the biogas back into the digester through valve 226, which can have the benefit of reducing the hydrogen sulfide concentration in the biogas. In general, an amount of recycle of from about 2 to about 8 percent by measured volume of biogas can be helpful in this regard.

A hydrogen sulfide detector 230, or several of these, may be located in the vicinity of the digester 210 and in the vicinity of the network pipelines. When the detected level in the atmosphere increases above a preset threshold, the detector shuts down the cutoff valve 232 thereby preventing further flow of the gas through any leak that might have arisen. In addition, a signal may be sent to the central controller 70 to indicate an alarm condition and initiate appropriate action.

FIG. 3 is a schematic overview of a flow diagram, not to scale, depicting process flows of an example of a central processing system 300 that upgrades biogas to methane grade gas. Biogas from the plurality of remote biogas sources enters the processing facility in conduit 32. This conduit feeds the raw incoming biogas to the hydrogen sulfide removal stage 310. In the exemplary embodiment, this includes a scrubber in which a solution of sodium hydroxide in water is contacted, preferably in counter-current flow, with the raw biogas charged to the scrubber. As illustrated in the example, sodium hydroxide solution 311 enters at the top of the scrubber 310 flowing downward, while the biogas enters at the base in 32 flowing upward. A portion of the sodium hydroxide solution is removed from the bottom in conduit 313, a portion is recycled in conduit 315, and the scrubbed biogas leaves the top of the scrubber in conduit 312. After this scrubbing stage the hydrogen sulfide content of the biogas is significantly reduced but might not yet meet combustion standards.

For further biogas purification to meet combustion standards, the gas is charged to an activated carbon gas purifying unit that removes residual hydrogen sulfide such that the purified biomethane meets standards for combustion, as to residual hydrogen sulfide. As illustrated in the example, a pair of activated carbon columns 321, 322 are used in tandem so that one is in use, while the other is being regenerated or refilled, as the activated carbon becomes spent. The packed columns may be equipped with sensors 323, 324 to detect hydrogen sulfide breakthrough in the packed beds to facilitate the switchover from one packed bed to the other and maintain treated gas quality as the biogas exit in conduit 314.

After the gas has been purified to remove hydrogen sulfide, the gas may contain moisture. Thus, the purified biogas is now charged to a dryer 330 where residual moisture is removed. Gas drying may be achieved with a desiccant packed into the dryer, or by other means. The dried gas in conduit 314 is charged to a carbon dioxide removal unit 340. A non-limiting example of such a unit is a membrane gas separator, where the membrane is selected to separate the methane gas in the purified biogas from the much larger carbon dioxide molecules also present in biogas. The methane-rich gas exiting from this unit 340 in conduit 318 has significantly reduced carbon dioxide content and is then routed to a chiller 350 for cooling prior to controlled compression in the system biomethane compressor 36 into a natural gas pipeline.

Summarizing, there is provided an exemplary method of aggregating and treating biogas from a plurality of remote sources to convert the biogas to a processed combustible biomethane gas for compression to a natural gas pipeline, or storage or processing to CNG or conversion to electricity via a fuel cell. The method includes the steps of detecting the availability of biogas at remote sources to permit prediction of biogas availability about 24-36 hours in advance, coupling the plurality of remote biogas sources to a network of conduits and delivering the biogas from the remote sources to a central processing facility. Treating the delivered gas by removing hydrogen sulfide in the biogas at the central processing facility. The treatment may include contacting, in counter-current flow, with a solution of sodium hydroxide to react with the hydrogen sulfide. The method further includes removing trace residual hydrogen sulfide and other contaminants by flowing the gas through activated carbon packed beds. The treated gas is charged to a membrane separator to separate out carbon dioxide from the desired biomethane in the biogas.

Other exemplary method steps may include measuring or observing a deflection of flexible roofs of remote sources and using the deflection measurements or input observations via a central controller configured to control the individual biogas compressors at the remote sources, the biogas charge compressor at the central treatment facility and the processed gas compressor. Further, the methods may include measuring hydrogen sulfide concentration in the atmospheric environment at the remote biogas sources and along the network of conduits and using the measured concentration to control cut-off valves when a predetermined concentration is detected indicating a leak.

The exemplary process flow diagrams of FIGS. 4 and 5 also illustrate details of the processing of biogas from digesters, converting animal waste to biogas, to biomethane (meeting combustibility specifications set by regulations in the various states), and illustrate variations from the foregoing examples of overview process flow diagrams. Of course, the biogas may also be charged to fuel cells, as noted above, at the remote sources or at the central location or anywhere in between where access to the biogas gathering/collection line is made available. And, the biomethane produced may also be used to manufacture CNG or to produce electricity via fuel cells. Descriptions of certain ancillary equipment previously discussed will not be repeated, but can be assumed to be present as appropriate. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary simplified biogas conditioning process flow chart, and FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary simplified process flowchart for conversion of biogas to biomethane meeting regulatory standards for injection into a natural gas pipeline. In the exemplary embodiments, both FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the use of “skid-mounted apparatus.” Of course, other non-skid-mounted equipment might also be used.

As to FIG. 4 , in the illustrated exemplary process flow diagram 400, the apparatus is located near the remote biogas source, such as on a dairy farm, for example and are located on four skid platforms: 410, 440, 460 and 480. In the first skid, the oxygen generator skid 410, air enters a compressor 412 and is charged to an oxygen generator unit 414. This oxygen, together with animal waste (manure in the case of a dairy farm) charged to a digester 416 where the waste is digested under conditions that generate methane gas—biogas. Biogas from the digester is drawn under controlled conditions into the suction of a blower 420 and charged to a condensate separator for removing condensate (water) carried in the biogas. The condensate is recycled to the digester or to a sump 416. The biogas exits from the top of the separator 422 and is charged to the apparatus on skid 440 that perform the function of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) removal from the biogas. In the illustrated example, the biogas is charged first to an iron sponge 442 that removes a large proportion of the hydrogen sulfide. The removal process is monitored by H₂S gas analyzers 443. The biogas then enters an activated carbon column 445 where further amounts of H₂S are removed. The biogas exiting from the activated carbon column 445 desirably has a level of H₂S concentration that is within limits regarded as safe for transportation in a pipeline. The cleaned biogas then enters the compressor system mounted to the compressor skid 460. The biogas passes into a compressor suction gas scrubber 462 where water is removed and drained under control to the recycle water system conduit. The biogas is compressed in the compressor 464, and the compressed biogas is cooled in the compressor cooler 466. The cooled, compressed biogas then flows through a compressor discharge scrubber for further moisture removal. The removed water is routed to the water recycle conduit and the compressed biogas is charged to a dehydration system mounted to skid 480. The compressed biogas enters a first gas/gas pre-cooler heat exchanger 482 where cooled compressed biogas is used to cool the incoming warmer compressed biogas. The compressed biogas is cooled to some extent in this pre-cooler than enters into a water-cooled heat exchanger 484 where chilled water from a water chiller 486 further cools the biogas to the range of about 40° F., for example. The chilled biogas then enters a chiller separator to remove any condensed water in the gas for recycle. The chilled biogas flows to the pre-cooler 482 to cool incoming biogas. Upon exiting from the pre-cooler, the now warmed biogas flows through a gas meter 490. The biogas is then either charged to a truck for transportation, or to a pipeline to convey the biogas to a gas processing facility 500, as illustrated in exemplary form, in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a process for treating biogas to convert it to biomethane that meets regulatory standards for feeding the gas into natural gas pipelines for subsequent use in power generation, commercial use, and residential use. The process equipment may receive incoming biogas from several biogas producing facilities, for example like that illustrated in FIG. 4 . The process 500 shows apparatus mounted on four skids: 520, 540, 560 and 580. Biogas from a process such as that illustrated in FIG. 4 enters a filter/separator 502, optionally mounted to skid 520. The liquid water separated from the biogas is routed in water recycle conduit 530 for reuse. The filtered off gas is analyzed 506, and the volume is measured 504 before being charged to a compressor suction scrubber where water is removed from the biogas for recycling. The scrubbed biogas is compressed in the compressor 524, and the compressed biogas is cooled in the compressor cooler 526. The exiting cooled compressed biogas enters a compressor discharge scrubber 528 where condensate water is removed for recycling. The biogas flows to a gas/gas precooler 542 on skid 540 where it is pre-cooled against colder biogas, and thence to a chilled water cooler 544 where the biogas is further cooled. The cooled biogas is then charged to a chiller separator 546 from which cold exiting biogas is routed to the pre-cooler 542 to cool the incoming biogas, and from which condensate water is routed to recycling. The cold biogas is analyzed 548 and routed to a pair of tandem operating activated carbon filter columns 550, 552 to remove residual impurities in the biogas. The purified biogas exiting the activated carbon treatment is analyzed 551 and charged to a series of membrane separators to remove carbon dioxide and thereby increase the concentration of methane in the biogas. Carbon dioxide rich gas exiting from the membrane first stage 554 is analyzed 553, metered 557, and vented via a stack 563. Methane-rich biogas exiting the first stage 554 is also analyzed 555 and flows into a second stage of membrane separation 556. One portion of the exiting methane gas that includes carbon dioxide is routed to the blower 558 and recycled back to the compressor suction scrubber 522 so that the biomethane in the gas stream is not lost but is recycled to be reprocessed and enriched in methane content. The other portion of the methane-rich biogas from the second stage 556 is charged to the biomethane compression skid 560.

By recycling a selected appropriate portion of the methane-rich biogas from the second stage membrane 556, the concentration of methane in the system upstream from the membrane stages 554, 556 is increased and the concentration in the gas exiting the membrane separation step is increased. Clearly, the higher the proportion recycled, the higher the methane concentration at the exit of the separation stages 554, 556 will be. Thus, the amount of recycle is set to a level that ensures the exiting biomethane for compression to the natural gas pipeline meets specifications.

Methane-rich biogas exiting the second stage separator 556 is analyzed 561, and gas meeting methane specifications (hereafter biomethane) is charged to a compressor system mounted on skid 560. The compressor system includes a compressor suction scrubber 562 to remove water from the biomethane and route the water to recycling. The biomethane is then charged to compressor 564 and the exiting compressed biomethane is cooled in a compressor cooler 566. The cooled biomethane is charged to a compressor discharge scrubber to remove condensed water for recycling, and the biomethane is charged to a chiller skid 580 that includes further gas cooling apparatus. The biomethane enters a gas/gas precooler 582 where it is cooled against chilled biomethane. Then, the pre-cooled biomethane enters a water-cooled exchanger 584 where it is further cooled (to around 40° F.) against cold water from water chiller 588. Any separated condensate is separated out in the chiller separator 586 and routed to recycle. The chilled biomethane is routed to the pre-cooler 582 to cool incoming biomethane. The warmed biomethane then flows through a gas analyzer 587 and a gas meter 589 and can then be routed at 590 to a gas pipeline or other transport means. Gas analyzers and gas flow meters at each remote location measure and provide data to the central controller. The central controller receives as inputs variables including but not limited to pressures, gas analyses, humidity, oxygen %, inert %, H2S ppm, data about the presence of other contaminants (e.g. siloxanes for waste water and landfills), and the like that are or become necessary under particular circumstances to control the entire system.

As pointed out here above, the treated biogas, now meeting natural gas specifications, can be used in power plants as fuel, and can also be used as a substitute for fossil-fuel methane in production of CNG for transport fuel. It can also be charged to fuel cells and converted directly to electricity. The overall effect of the systems proposed herein is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The foregoing are descriptions of examples of the type of apparatus and the nature of the process flows useful for systems for aggregating and processing of biogas to biomethane. While examples of embodiments of the technology have been presented and described in text, and some examples, by way of illustration, it will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the described technology without departing from the scope of the inventions, which are set forth in, and only limited by, the scope of the appended patent claims, as properly interpreted and construed. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A biogas collection and purification system, the system aggregating biogas from a plurality of remote sources and treating the biogas to produce biomethane, the system comprising: a network of conduits configured to convey biogas from the plurality of remote sources of the biogas based on a detected availability of biogas at each of the respective remote sources; a biogas compressor located at each of the plurality of remote sources, each of the biogas compressors controlledly supplying biogas to a collection header of the network of conduits; a central processing facility receiving the biogas conveyed in the network of conduits from the plurality of remote sources of biogas via a feed biogas compressor of the central processing facility, the central processing facility processing the biogas into biomethane, the central processing facility having: a biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage; an activated carbon scrubber; a carbon dioxide removal stage; a cooler positioned between the activated carbon scrubber and the carbon dioxide removal state, wherein the cooler is configured to lower a temperature of the biogas, and a processed gas compressor positioned downstream from the carbon dioxide removal stage and configured to compress the biomethane; wherein a central controller receives input data, including data about gas availability at the remote sources, and the central controller controls the biogas compressors at each remote facility, the feed biogas compressor of the treatment facility, and the processed gas compressor.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sources of biogas include organic animal waste anaerobic digesters.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of remote sources of biogas includes captured biogas from landfills, further wherein an oxygen generator is fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of remote sources of the biogas, and further wherein each oxygen generator is configured to deliver substantially pure oxygen to the biogas to promote hydrogen sulfide removal.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of sources of biogas include fuel cells, and the fuel cells convert biogas directly to electricity.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the electricity is transmitted to a grid or used directly to power batteries of plug-in electrical vehicles.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the biomethane produced at the central treatment facility is used to manufacture CNG.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage comprises contacting the biogas with a sodium hydroxide solution.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the sources of biogas includes a hydrogen sulfide sensor located to detect release of hydrogen sulfide into a surrounding vicinity of the at least some of the sources and control a respective valve based on the detection.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the sources of biogas includes a flow sensor detecting a flow of biogas from the at least one of the sources, the flow sensor controlling a valve to recycle a portion of the flow back to the at least one of the sources of biogas.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of biogas sources comprises: a flexible roof, the flexible roof expanding upward when an amount of generated biogas increases and biogas pressure increases under the flexible roof, and a laser deflection measurement apparatus located and configured to measure a degree of deflection of the flexible roof as it expands upward under biogas pressure, the laser deflection apparatus providing data to the central controller.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of biogas sources comprises: a digester having a flexible roof, the flexible roof expanding upward when an amount of generated biogas increases and biogas pressure increases under the flexible roof; and wherein the flexible roof is inspected at periodic intervals to determine an availability of biogas at the digester, the biogas availability input as data to the central controller.
 12. A biogas collection, purification and delivery system comprising: a plurality of remote sources of biogas from digesters of organic animal waste, the plurality of biogas sources each having a flexible roof, and each configured either (a) with sensors to detect an availability of biogas at the respective ones of the plurality of remote sources and transmitters to transmit data about availability to a controller or (b) to permit an estimation of biogas availability by human inspection; a biogas compressor at each of the plurality of remote sources configured to controlledly compress biogas into a network of conduits configured to convey biogas from the plurality of sources of biogas; a central processing facility controlledly receiving biogas via a biogas feed compressor from the plurality of sources of biogas and processing the biogas into biomethane, the central processing facility having: a biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage; an activated carbon scrubber; a membrane-based carbon dioxide removal stage; a cooler positioned between the activated carbon scrubber and the membrane-based carbon dioxide removal stage, wherein the cooler is configured to lower a temperature of the biogas; and a biomethane gas compressor configured to controlledly compress the biomethane; wherein a central controller is positioned downstream from the membrane-based carbon dioxide removal stage and configured to control the biogas compressors at each of the plurality of remote sources, to control the biogas feed compressor of the central processing facility, and to control the biomethane gas compressor.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of biogas sources comprises: a laser deflection measurement apparatus located and configured to measure a degree of deflection of a corresponding flexible roof as it expands upward under increasing biogas pressure due to an increasing amount of generated biogas, the laser deflection apparatus providing data to the central controller about biogas availability based on a degree of deflection of the corresponding flexible roof.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the flexible roofs expand upward when an amount of generated biogas increases and biogas pressure increases, and wherein each of the flexible roofs is inspected at periodic intervals to determine an availability of biogas at the respective digester of each remote source, the biogas availability input as data to the central controller.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of sources of biogas includes a hydrogen sulfide sensor located to detect release of hydrogen sulfide into a surrounding vicinity of the at least one of the plurality of sources, and control a valve.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of sources of biogas includes a flow sensor detecting a flow of biogas from the source, the flow sensor controlling a valve to recycle a portion of the flow back to the at least one source of biogas.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein the biomethane gas compressor is configured to compress methane derived from processing of biogas in the central processing facility into a natural gas pipeline.
 18. The system of claim 12, wherein biomethane produced at the central treatment facility is charged to a fuel cell to directly produce electricity.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electricity is transmitted to a grid or used directly to power batteries of plug-in electrical vehicles.
 20. The system of claim 12, wherein biomethane produced at the central treatment facility is used to manufacture CNG.
 21. The system of claim 12, wherein at least some of the plurality of sources of biogas include fuel cells, and the fuel cells convert biogas directly to electricity.
 22. A biogas collection, purification and delivery system comprising: a plurality of remote sources of biogas from digesters of organic animal waste, the plurality of biogas sources each having a flexible roof, and each configured either, with sensors to detect an availability of biogas at the respective ones of the plurality of remote sources and transmitters to transmit data about availability to a controller or to permit an estimation of biogas availability by human inspection; a network of conduits configured to convey biogas from the plurality of remote sources of biogas; a central processing facility receiving biogas conveyed from the plurality of sources of biogas and processing the biogas into combustible biomethane, the central processing facility having: a biogas feed compressor controlledly charging biogas to the central processing facility; a biogas hydrogen sulfide removal stage; an activated carbon scrubber; a carbon dioxide removal stage; a cooler positioned between the activated carbon scrubber and the carbon dioxide removal stage, wherein the cooler is configured to lower a temperature of the biogas; and a biomethane compressor positioned downstream from the carbon dioxide removal stage and configured to compress the biomethane; wherein each of at least some of the remote biogas sources include a fuel cell configured to convert biogas directly to electricity; wherein a central controller is configured to control biogas compressors at each of the plurality of remote sources, to control the biogas feed compressor of the central processing facility, and to control the biomethane gas compressor, based on data including biogas availability at respective ones of the plurality of remote sources.
 23. The system of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of biogas sources comprises: a laser deflection measurement apparatus located and configured to measure a degree of deflection of a corresponding flexible roof as it expands upward under increasing biogas pressure due to an increasing amount of generated biogas, the laser deflection apparatus providing data to the central controller about biogas availability based on a degree of deflection of the corresponding flexible roof.
 24. The system of claim 23, wherein each of the flexible roofs expand upward when an amount of generated biogas increases and biogas pressure increases, and wherein each of the flexible roofs is inspected at periodic intervals to determine an availability of biogas at the respective digester of each remote source, the biogas availability input as data to the central controller.
 25. The system of claim 22, wherein the central controller controls the biomethane compressor to compress bio methane into a natural gas pipeline, based on data about biogas availability at the plurality of remote sources predicted at least 24 hours before.
 26. The system of claim 22, wherein biomethane produced at the central treatment facility is charged to a fuel cell to directly produce electricity.
 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the electricity is transmitted to a grid or used directly to power batteries of plug-in electrical vehicles.
 28. The system of claim 22, wherein biomethane produced at the central treatment facility is used to manufacture CNG.
 29. The system of claim 22, wherein the electricity is transmitted to a grid or used directly to power batteries of plug-in electrical vehicles. 